Sparks & Favor PC

The average age for a woman to reach menopause is about 51. A woman has reached menopause when she has had no menstrual periods for 12 months. The transition between the reproductive years and menopause is gradual and can last for several years. Doctors call this phase perimenopause. Periods become more irregular, and other symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, mood changes, changes in sexuality may become bothersome.
What Causes Menopause
Very simply, a woman reaches menopause when she runs out of functioning eggs. The journey toward menopause actually begins before birth! At 24 weeks of pregnancy, a baby girl…

Most of my patients know that my last day of practice will be September 30th, since I began early this year notifying you at your annual exam. I am very glad that I decided to do this. It has given me a chance to share memories with many of you whom I’ve cared for through years, decades, and sometimes generations. I’ve shared both joyous and challenging moments with you and your families. I cannot thank you enough for your trust in my care, and for your kind words as I pass that care on to my wonderful partners…

Another Reason We Entrust the Care of Our Patients to Brookwood Women’s Hospital
 

In 1973, Brookwood became the first hospital in Alabama to provide healthcare for women in an environment devoted entirely to their unique needs. In the decades since, Brookwood has remained steadfast in its commitment to provide the latest advances in women’s services. The hospital invested in the new technology known as robotic surgery near its beginning (2009). Over the next decade, Brookwood achieved headlines as national leader in women’s robotic gynecologic surgery, surpassing 7000 women’s cases! These thousands of women returned home…

Nearly twenty years have passed since the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) announced serious safety concerns involving hormone replacement therapy during menopause. Since then, we have come to understand that these early conclusions were based on an incomplete understanding of the study’s data. Unfortunately, the announcement caused panic among American women. Nearly half of them gave up hormone replacement within a few months. Women whose menopausal symptoms reduced their quality of life resigned themselves to suffer in silence.

With better information, women have now reached a more balanced understanding of the benefits and possible risks of hormone replacement therapy…

One of the most frequent questions we answer in the office concerns the potential side-effects of birth control pills and other hormonal contraceptives (rings, implants, hormonal I.U.Ds, etc.).  The pill carries a small increased risk for certain health problems (deep-vein thrombosis, heart attack, and stroke), and no method of birth control is one hundred percent effective in preventing pregnancy. Yet, in the fifty-plus years that the pill has been prescribed in the U.S., it has proven to be a very safe and effective contraceptive method. In fact, American women find it safe, effective, and…

Slightly more than 1 in 3 American women will develop cancer in her lifetime. Cancer is the second leading cause of death for women (after heart disease). True, it usually strikes during or after middle-age. About 77% of cancers are discovered in people 55 or older. But even if, as you are reading this, “middle-age” seems a long way off; consider that your ability to influence many cancer risk factors begins much earlier in life. Some of the facts I mention here are well-known, but you’ll also find some new insights if you read on…

This Post has been edited since its original publication.
Will your summer travel plans include a mission trip, a cruise, or other foreign travel? Will you have a student studying in a foreign country? Even if you’re travelling within the U.S., a few health-related items should be included on your planning checklist…

On March 15, 1991, two young physicians from UAB opened the doors to their new office, and the practice Sparks & Favor saw its first patients. Along with Mrs. Edmonds, our practice administrator then and now, we began a journey that has continued for thirty years.

Along the way, we were fortunate that Drs. Stradtman, Gregory, and Whitehead shared our vision of the how a medical practice should provide care. More than just individual physicians sharing space and equipment, we have truly been a team over these many years. We share call with each other, but not outside of our…

Spotting or bleeding between periods does happen occasionally. Most of the time, it does not signal a health problem. Still, it is inconvenient, and most women want to know what is going on.

There are definitely situations where spotting or irregular bleeding should not be ignored. You should consult your ob-gyn if…

As we wished you good health and happiness at this time last year, we could not have imagined what 2020 would hold. But the New Year always brings hope, and with weekly shipments of vaccine arriving in Birmingham, we have much reason to be hopeful. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we are not there yet. Let our resolutions for this New Year include continuing to protect ourselves and others until we have all been vaccinated against COVID-19. We can do this for three or four more months and give thanks that it…